


Tranquilizer Dart

by Sapless_Tree



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [2]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016) Whump, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Drugged Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Gen, Riley Bozer and Matty are just over comms, Tranquilizer Dart, Whump, macgyver whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28843353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapless_Tree/pseuds/Sapless_Tree
Summary: Bad Things Happen Bings Prompt: tranquilizer dart“I know that ain’t a tranq dart you’re showing me there,” Jack said with an accusatory tone, knowing very well that that was exactly what it was. “How long ago?”
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2078250
Comments: 12
Kudos: 70
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo





	Tranquilizer Dart

**Author's Note:**

> oop sorry this took forever to get out, anyways, hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also! i'm planning on doing some stuff for febuwhump just so you guys know. So there might not be another fic until February because I'm trying to prepare those prompts if I can :)

“This is officially the worst,” Jack shouted as he ran, dodging tree roots and rocks. Mac was just ahead of him, also running as the two tried to get away from the insurgents on their tail. 

“Yeah, well,” Mac returned, tone teasing and airily accusing, “it’s also officially your fault.”

“How?” Jack turned to look behind him for a second, just long enough to get a few shots off at the men chasing them on foot. “I was just following along with your plan!”

“What are you talking about? When I handed you those explosives I just wanted you to _hold_ them, not announce us to the whole base, Jack. They were for their cars-- I was going to blow out the engines.” As if summoned by the mention, the two could hear the familiar rumble of vehicles following them as closely as the roads would allow. “Great.”

“Why couldn’t you have just slashed the tires like a normal person?” Jack said, ducking as he ran at the sound of shooting. Mac ducked as well, keeping up pace. “And what’s this about me just holding them? You didn’t think to mention that to me?”

“I did. I said ‘here hold this,’ I did _not_ say ‘here Jack blow these off so that we can run through the forest while getting shot at.’” Mac said.

“I only set them off because there were a lot of dudes, I didn’t feel like letting either of us get shot in the face today. So you’re welcome,” Jack defended, shooting behind him a few more times. “And you did not say that at all!” 

“Mac’s right, Jack,” Bozer’s voice suddenly cut in through comms. “He did say ‘hold,’ not much else though.” A noise of offense came from Jack, but he was quieted by another voice.

“Okay, but come on,” Riley piped up in their ears, “he handed explosives to Jack. What’d he think was gonna happen?”

“Thank you, Riley,” Jack said. “Only one that understands me,” he said, but there was no real heat to the claim.

“So glad you guys aren’t dead,” Matty said, “but did you forget that you were on a mission here? What about the shipment?” 

“We took care of it,” Mac said. Mac’s foot caught on a fallen branch for a second, making him stumble. But he was able to catch himself before he face-planted.

“Yeah,” Jack said, an arm flew out instinctively to steady the blond, but was retracted as Mac got his own footing. “Mac made sure the whole shipment went kablooey.” 

“‘Kablooey?’” Matty echoed, sounding unimpressed. “So I take it all that evidence isn’t going to be available to help put all these guys away, then?”

“You said to stop the shipment,” Mac said, “And we stopped the shipment.”

“Okay, clearly we all need to work on our communication skills a little,” Bozer butted in. “I have a buddy I met back when I was taking acting classes. He’s the best group therapist in all of SoCal, and he’s great with team-building and trust exercises. I’m sure he’d be happy to work with us.” 

Several more shots sounded off from the insurgents closing in behind Mac and Jack.

“Team-building, great. That’s all well and good, but we’re never gonna be able to do that if these guys _kill_ us,” Jack said, ever the optimist. “Riley, how far are you and Bozer with the car?”

“We’re two klicks north of your guys’ location, you’re headed the right way. Just keep going and don’t get shot,” she answered, following it up with a curse. “It looks like they’ve got three cars headed to block off your exit from the woods, so be ready.”

“Yeah, okay,” Jack said. “Mac? You got any ideas?”

“We’re going to have to go around and try to avoid them altogether. There’s no way we can take on that many considering whatever weapons they’ve got stocked up in those cars,” he answered. “Riley, is there anywhere you can detour us to?”

“Not exactly,” Riley said. “Other than this road, there really isn’t anything else out here, unless you want to go back to their base.”

“Yeah, that’s a big ol’ negative.” Jack shot behind him two more times before the distinct click of an empty gun was the only thing coming from it. “What are our other options?”

“You can try to exit the forest further down the road so they don’t see you, but we won’t be able to pick you up without them seeing us. We’re safe where we are right now, but if we come barreling down the road, they’re going to see and know what’s up.”

“That might be something we’re going to have to risk,” Jack said. “I’m out of bullets, and there’s still guys comin’ after us on foot. We can handle a little car chase, right?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Mac returned. “And it sounds like that’s our best bet right now. If we head straight for their vehicles they’ll have us surrounded.”

“Yeah, that’s no bueno. Riley, which way we headed, sweetheart?”

Riley watched their heat signatures from the sat view pulled up on her laptop and rattled off some instructions based on what insurgents she could see coming after them. Mac and Jack dutifully followed her directions, taking a detour through a more heavily wooded area of the forest. She and Bozer would wait where they were, hidden and out of view until Mac and Jack got closer to the road. Then, they would speed past the cars, pick the two up right as they emerged from the forest, and deal with the aftermath of those decisions when it came to that. Or that was the plan, anyway.

Mac and Jack were able to put a good bit of distance between them and the guys chasing them on foot, using the denser forest to their advantage. But the terrain segued into rougher landscape, less of a running trail and more of a hiking one-- and even that was being generous given that none of the area was really any kind of trail or path at all.

Mac’s foot caught a rock and he stumbled again, arms flailing for only a second before he had his feet back properly under him. 

“That’s the second time there, hoss,” Jack said, “what’s goin’ on? Don’t need you going all baby giraffe on me now, so if you’re hurt somewhere you’d better fess up right now.” 

“I’m not injured,” Mac said, narrowly avoiding a larger tree root sticking out. “Just not a fan of running through a forest in the middle of nowhere.”

“You and me both,” Jack returned. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” Mac insisted. And he was for another few minutes as they ran, but lost his footing over some fallen leaves. Extending his arms to brace himself for the fall, Mac was only successful in cutting his forearm on a rock on the way to the ground.

Jack slowed to a stop and crouched down next to his partner, who was already trying to push himself back up. Jack held him in place. “It’s all right, just stay down for a sec, lemme look at you.” Jack stole a careful look over his shoulder; there didn’t seem to be any signs of the insurgents that had been chasing them-- the two agents had put some distance between themselves and them, but Jack knew better than to assume they were gone.

Another quick glance, and then Jack focused his attention on Mac. He took Mac’s arm in his hands, and found that the bleeding wasn’t anything serious, and other than that (and the bruises the blond would later be sporting from his little spill) there didn’t seem to be anything seriously wrong.

Jack switched his comms off with another look over his shoulder, and motioned for Mac to turn his own off. The blond complied with the silent request.

“Are you _really_ okay, man?” Jack asked, a certain sincerity to his voice. Mac opened his mouth to respond, but Jack held up a hand. “And you know I don’t just mean physically. You seem-- I don’t know-- like, super distracted right now. You know if there’s something going on you can talk to me, right?”

“Really, Jack,” Mac reassured. “I’m not distracted. Just tripped.” Mac moved to stand again, and Jack let him. But Mac swayed dangerously and nearly toppled right back over. He would have, too, if it hadn’t been for Jack’s reflexes being fast enough to catch him.

“The hell’s wrong with you?” Jack asked, panic creeping into the question. Mac moved to take his own weight, stumbling a little and holding on tight to Jack. 

“Dunno…” he mumbled. “Oh,” Mac clumsily reached a hand into his pocket and pulled something out. In his hand was a moderately sized syringe with a bright pink stabilizer brush attached at the end. It looked like there was still a milliliter or two of solution left in the syringe-- the small silicon bit had been moved back over the needle’s hole to prevent what was left from squirting out. 

“I know that ain’t a tranq dart you’re showing me there,” Jack said with an accusatory tone, knowing very well that that was exactly what it was. “How long ago?”

“A few minutes after we made it out of the compound,” Mac answered. “So maybe… fifteen, twenty minutes ago?” Mac’s knees buckled under him, but with Jack already supporting most of his weight, the older agent was ready. He lowered Mac to a sitting position slowly, and crouched back down next to him, ready to move them both at the first sign of danger.

“And you didn’t think to mention this earlier, _why_?” Jack asked. 

Mac scratched at his arm sheepishly (Jack took notice and made a mental note to check the blond over later for the injection site-- there was sure to be a nasty bruise left behind by the tranquilizer dart). “Thought I got it out fast enough,” he said. “Definitely didn’t get the full dose,” he added, shaking the dart and showing off the remaining liquid inside as if that made it better.

Jack gave his partner a hard stare. “Soon as we’re outta here, we’re going to be having a nice long conversation about this, Mac. I’m serious.” Leaving no room for argument, Jack switched his comms back on. “Matty, we’ve got a problem.” Mac switched his own on so he could hear the conversation.

“What kind of problem?” She asked. They could practically hear her raised eyebrows.

“The kind where Mac got tranqed,” Jack replied. 

Matty gave a quiet curse. “Is he out?” She asked.

“No, ‘m not,” Mac spoke up, a distinct slur taking hold of his words. He swayed where he sat, and Jack’s strong hand was on his shoulder in a second, steadying him. 

“No, but he’s well on his way. I can get him to the car, but I want medical ready as soon as we get back.”

Matty said something else, but Mac found himself unable to focus enough to understand exactly what she’d said. Jack said something after her, and then just like that she was talking again. 

There were other voices that chimed in occasionally, but he couldn’t keep up. Mac wondered vaguely if this was how other people felt when he talked too fast-- vaguely aware of sounds and words, but not many of them sounding familiar.

The voices went quiet after a time and didn’t seem to pick back up. The way Jack was looking at him, though, it seemed as though he was expecting some kind of response-- an answer.

But Mac was tired. Things were muddled, and his eyelids were heavy. He didn’t want to think anymore.

“Wh… what?” Mac asked, voice coming out slow and syrupy. 

Jack’s mouth moved, and sounds came out. Mac thought he caught the word ‘stand’ but couldn’t be sure as the rest of the words floated off, just out of his understanding.

Mac shook his head-- he may not have completely understood what Jack was trying to say, but if there was standing involved, Mac knew he wouldn’t be able to do it. He regretted the motion immediately as it only served to make him dizzier. 

More talking. But with the effort it took to open his eyes every time he blinked, Mac didn’t have much energy to spare on listening. 

Soon, Mac was being moved. The already fuzzy colors and shapes that the world had become blurred together with motion as Jack got Mac up from his place on the forest floor. His stomach flipped uncomfortably, and he tried to tell Jack to go slower. The words wouldn’t make it past his lips, however, and he was only successful in letting out a discontented grunt. 

The world was moving. Spinning and tilting strange. There were noises-- voices and loud, sharp cracks that Mac recognized even in his drugged haze as gunshots. 

But wasn’t Jack out of bullets?

Mac didn’t know, but the voices seemed to get louder in his ear for a few moments before tapering off again. The edges of Mac’s already blurry, useless vision dimmed considerably as his peripheral closed in. 

Mac let his eyes fall closed, and hoped Jack wouldn’t be too upset with him for taking a nap.

\---

Mac floated somewhere back to consciousness soon after. He didn’t feel as though he’d lost very much time, maybe a few minutes at best, but the steady beeping off to his right and familiar pinch in the crook of his arm seemed to disagree. 

Gradually, more sounds were coming to him. Even, quiet breathing made it apparent there was someone in the room with him. And that damn beeping. Mac’s head throbbed in time with the beeps from the machine. He really wanted to tell someone to turn it off. 

Mac cracked his eyes open. But it only took a second for the bright lights and the pristine white of the room to make him regret that decision. His eyes were closed just as soon as he’d opened them, and an involuntary moan slipped out.

“Hey, hey it’s okay, I got it,” the person in the room with him spoke. _Jack_. Mac heard the telltale click of the lights going off and Jack settling back into the bedside chair. He ventured another peek and was greeted by a blessedly dark room-- there was still light streaming in through the window, but not enough to hurt. It must still be daytime, then. What time, Mac had no idea.

Mac opened his mouth to speak, his voice a mere croak as he tried to force words out. He couldn’t talk, throat too dry to do anything more than let out a few strained sounds. 

How long had he been there exactly? 

Mac looked to Jack for the answer, only to find that Jack had a sling holding his right arm in place. A thousand questions assaulted Mac at once. Was Jack okay? Was it broken? Was it his fault? He had fallen asleep at some point in the mission, he knew that much. He couldn’t quite remember anything past showing Jack the tranquilizer dart.

The beeping on the monitor sped up, distressing Mac further with its loud irritating sound. His head ached. Where were Riley and Bozer? Were they okay? Mac moved to sit up, to ask, to do _anything_. Where were they? Did Mac get them hurt too? Oh, God, he screwed up. He really screwed up.

“Woah, hey, slow it down there, brother,” Jack said quietly, pressing Mac back down on the bed with a gentle hand (the one not in the sling, of course). 

The older agent grabbed the styrofoam cup that had been on the bedside table and brought it up to Mac’s lips. Mac accepted it gratefully, calming some at the cool, soothing liquid. He brought his own hands up to the cup to tilt it further and drink more quickly, but Jack held it firm.

“Slow, kid, you don’t wanna make yourself sick.” Jack waited as Mac drank the whole cup before he set it off to the side on the table again for the blond. Mac cleared his throat a bit as if to test how much the water had helped. “Better?”

“Mm,” Mac confirmed. “Thanks.” His voice was low and rough, but definitely seemed better. “Where is everyone? They okay?” Mac asked, continuing right on before Jack even had a chance to answer. “Are _you_ okay? What happened?” The monitor ticked up again.

“Easy,” Jack soothed, a comforting hand on Mac’s forearm. “They’re all right, just out getting some lunch. They’ll probably sneak us back some sandwiches so we don’t hafta stomach hospital slop,” he said. 

“Your arm.”

“Oh, you noticed. New fashion trend I’m trying out,” Jack said goofily. “You think it looks good? I think the navy blue compliments my eyes, don’t you?” Jack wiggled his fingers a little for Mac to see. “Not very comfortable, though.”

“What happened?” Mac asked, seeing through Jack’s attempt to abate Mac’s worries with humor.

“Little graze is all,” Jack said, “along the arm. Lucky shot.” Jack wouldn’t tell Mac, but the shot was just as lucky for them as it was the insurgents. Mac had been over Jack’s shoulder at the time, and had they been able to get a better hit in, the bullet would have had to go through Mac before it hit Jack. “The sling is more a precaution than anything, really. I can move it okay, just shouldn’t.”

Mac nodded a little. “You got shot because of me?”

“Nah, Mac. It ain’t like that. You know that,” Jack said. “Were you the one holding that gun?”

“No...” Mac answered.

“And were you the one firin’ at us?”

“No, but--”

Jack held up his hand, silencing Mac. “But nothing. It wasn’t your fault and there’s nothing more to that, so you better not go feeling guilty about it.” Jack returned his hand to Mac’s arm, a comforting presence. “Not when I haven’t even gotten to the issue of you not tellin’ me when something’s wrong.”

Mac gave Jack a quizzical look, eyebrows furrowed and innocent cluelessness evident.

“You didn’t tell me you were hit by a tranq dart, man. That’s not okay.” 

The curious look was replaced quickly with guilt. Mac vaguely recalled Jack mentioning wanting to talk about that.

“I did tell you though,” Mac said. He was pretty sure he’d pulled the dart out of his pocket and given it to Jack at some point. The mission was still fuzzy, but some things were more clear than others.

“Not until you were already tripping over yourself. What would have happened if I didn’t see you fall and scrape your arm, huh?” Mac looked down-- his forearm had been bandaged and he hadn’t even noticed. “You’d’ve been shot dead, that’s what. And that’s just not okay with me, you hear?”

Mac didn’t meet Jack's eyes. If Jack’s voice was anything to go by, Mac knew there’d be too much emotion behind the man’s eyes--too much concern and care. If Mac looked Jack in the eyes, he might just be able to see how much the older man loved him. And that was scary. 

“I hear,” Mac said quietly, gaze trained on Jack’s hand resting on his arm. 

“You sure?” Jack asked. “Because you really scared me, man. It’s my job to have your back-- but I can’t do my thing if you keep things from me.” 

Mac didn’t lift his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, look at me,” Jack said, tone gentle but firm. Mac did, meeting the gaze of his partner. 

And there it was. Jack’s brows were slightly furrowed in his concern, head tilted vaguely to the left like he did when he was thinking particularly hard about something. Mac never liked being the subject of that little head tilt, but knew Jack just wanted to understand _why_. And it wasn’t even hidden behind the older man’s eyes-- the care for Mac front and center on his face.

“I ain’t mad at you, I want you to know that,” Jack said. “I’m not mad. I just worry about you. And-- and you know how I can get when one of you kids worries me.”

Mac huffed out a laugh, all too familiar with what he would (only ever privately) refer to as ‘papa-Jack’ mode. “Yeah, I do,” he said, a fond smile settling over the blond’s features.

Mac almost thought that’d be the end of it, but no such luck.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, Mac? About the dart?”

Mac shrugged. “Between there still having been some solution left in the syringe when I pulled it out and the fact that I really didn’t feel anything for a while… I thought maybe it wouldn’t affect me that much, if at all. I didn’t want to worry you if I didn’t have to.” 

Taking a deep breath, Jack ran his hand through his hair and then settled it back on Mac’s arm. “But I did worry. Not knowing-- that’s always worse, Mac. I’d rather know about a dud tranq dart than watch you try not to pass out and not know why.”

“I really am sorry, Jack,” Mac said.

“I know you are, kid. C’mere,” Jack said, wrapping Mac up in a one-armed hug. “I’m just glad you’re okay. But don’t you dare do that again. You scared the shit outta me.” 

“Can’t promise not to get tranqed again,” Mac said with a laugh as Jack eased out of the hug. “But next time you’ll know about it as soon as I do.”

“You know I’m not talking just about the dart,” Jack said with a pointed look. 

“I know,” Mac said. 

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to have this talk, but I’m hoping one of these times it’ll stick in that big brain of yours that I’m here to have your back. I need to know what’s goin’ on with you in order to keep you safe. You’re not alone. So you shouldn’t be trying to deal with stuff like this on your own.”

Mac swallowed past the lump in his throat, nodding and not trusting himself to speak without his voice wavering.

“A world without Angus MacGyver isn’t one I want to stay in. Even if you do have a silly hamburger name,” Jack said fondly. 

Mac let out a laugh, a little self-conscious about the watery quality to it, but not caring enough to do much more than clear his throat. “That goes for you too, Jack,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. “I don’t know what I would do if… if something happened to you.”

“Yeah, well,” Jack said, choking up a bit himself. “You go kaboom I go kaboom, brother. Ain't nothing happening to one of us without it happening to the other, too.” 

Silence hung between them for a few moments-- a comfortable silence. There were more things the two could have said to one another, but that didn’t really need to be said. After all, the calloused hand resting on Mac’s forearm said enough for both of them.

**Author's Note:**

> sappy ending bc I was sad about 5x05 (no spoilers here dw!!) and we're going to be ignoring canon now and forever.


End file.
